There are at least two general styles of pliers. One style of prior art pliers is generally known within the tool trade as a slip-joint pliers or tongue-and-groove pliers as popularized by Channellock, Inc. A second style of prior art pliers is known as a plier-wrench since it combines features of both pliers and wrenches.
Yet another style of tool is the plier-wrench, which is a two-handled parallel-jaw wrench that has the general overall shape and appearance of pliers. The smooth-faced jaws of this hand tool maintain the jaws in a parallel relationship with respect to each other while being opened and closed, in the manner of wrenches. The prior art plier-wrench is two-handled in the manner of pliers.